“It’s bound to create a buzz in the arts world. An ambitious plan to keep bees and produce honey on the roof of the Scottish National Gallery is taking flight…

“Urban beekeeping is becoming very popular, especially in London, and Edinburgh in particular would provide fantastic food sources for bees as it’s such a green city.”

Bees housed on The Mound site would be able to forage in the extensive flower beds of Princes Street Gardens, which would give the honey a unique “Edinburgh” flavour. Contini says he hopes to get the plan off the ground later this year…

Phil McAnespie, president of the Scottish Beekeepers Association, said he thought the scheme was a good idea: “Urban beekeeping has really been on the rise for the past two to three years and it’s very good to see. There are far more flowers and plants for bees to forage in the city than there are in the countryside, where there tends to be a lot of farming and more pesticides.

“On the roof of the National Gallery you’re going to get the sun, you may even get a sheltered spot – it would be an extremely good situation for bees and they should be able to get a decent amount of honey from them. It’s great to see the National Galleries and other museums becoming aware of the issue of beekeeping and being able to help,” he said.

The bee population is expected to decline this year because of the long winter, and the association is keen to encourage more amateur beekeepers to have a go at urban beekeeping in an attempt to keep the population up…

A number of cities worldwide have embraced urban keeping on the roofs of landmark buildings: in New York there are hives on the top of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, and in Paris on the roof of the Opéra Garnier. In London there are around 30 commercial sites that keep beehives on their roofs, including Fortnum & Mason and Harrods, as well as the art galleries…”

Why “Urban” Beekeeping?

We at HoneyLove believe that the city is the last refuge of the honeybee. Our home gardens are generally free of pesticides, and in cities like Los Angeles, there is year-round availability of pollen and nectar for the honeybees!

how can you help?

Become a member of HoneyLove and learn to be an urban beekeeper!

Plant an organic garden without the pesticides that harm honeybees!

Provide a water source on your property – bees love clean water to drink!